LBSU tops AVCA coaches' poll for first time since 2006

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State claimed the top spot in the latest AVCA Men's NC Coaches' Poll, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced on Monday afternoon.

It is LBSU's first No. 1 ranking in the AVCA poll since the third week of the 2006 campaign. Last year, the 49ers were ranked as high as No. 2 in the final weeks of the season.

The 49ers received 11 first-place votes and 245 total points to finish ahead of No. 2 Loyola Chicago (234 points). UC Irvine, the preseason favorite, dropped to No. 3, while Stanford and USC rounded out the top five.

Long Beach State won the UCSB Asics Invitational last weekend. The 49ers defeated Harvard 3-1 in the championship match. They also went undefeated in pool play, topping UC San Diego, then-No. 14 Cal State Northridge, IPFW and then-No. 2 UCLA in best-of-three set exhibitions.